9 Book Costume Ideas That Will Show Off Your Love Of All Things Literary

From the seasonal stories to the themed parties, everyone knows that Halloween is a book-lover's favorite holiday. We get to decorate out homes according to our favorite horror novels, recite scary poetry to our friends, and best of all, find new ways to dress up like a book. What's not to love about it?

Halloween is perfect for book nerds because it's the one time of year we can bring our favorite books to life. We can serve food from the Shire at our Hobbit themed parties or decorate the house to look like a Hogwarts Halloween. We can become our real life literary heroes or walk in the shoes of our favorite fictional heroines. Best of all, we can find different ways to dress up like a book. With a little creativity, some patience, and some planning, your possibilities are endless.

1. Transform a cardboard box into a wearable hardcover.

If you really want to become a book for a day, it's going to take some creativity and some crafting.

Start with a cardboard box, and cut the top and bottom flaps out so you can stand inside of it. Make two holes in the front and two in the back to run ropes through it to create straps. On the front of the box, use markers, paint, or a computer printout to recreate the cover of your choosing. Draw vertical lines on one side of the box to look like pages. Just like that, with a little bit of planning, you've become your favorite book, not to mention a Best Costume contest contender.

2. Wear a book cover t-shirt.

Not into crafting? Instead of designing a book of your own, you can simply buy a bookish shirt with a cover printed on it. Pair it with other bookish accessories, like a themed necklace, book-relate earrings, and, of course, a matching tote bag to carry all of your Halloween candy in.

3. Make an outfit from recycled paper.

Babbu The Painter on YouTube

I know, it's impossible to imagine cutting up a book, but if you do have some damaged or unwanted novels lying around, put them to good use. With a little bit of effort and planning, you can create an entire ensemble, from a ruffled skirt to a top hat of old books, perfect for a bookish Halloween.

4. Where the words on your sleeves.

Instead of adorning yourself in a book's cover, wear its insides on the outside. With the help of Litographs' clothing, accessories, and new temporary tattoos, you can share every word of your favorite novel in a simple outfit. Perfect swag for your literary Halloween costume, these new items are ones you'll want to work into your year-round wardrobe, too.

5. Dress like the library card.

What's a book-lover's favorite location? A library, of course, which is why dressing up like a library card is a suitable alternative to a book costume. To pull it off, you're going to need library swag — library socks ($10, BookRiot.com), a library tote, a library shirt ($42, BookRiot.com), librarian glasses, and (of course) an armful of books. If you're feeling crafty, you can also make a library card with a white poster board and a sharpie. Use rope to hang it around your neck, and in one simple step, you're a library card.

6. Work in a pun.

From The Catcher in the Rye to The Art of War, book titles are rife with puns just waiting to be turned into costumes. The question is, how are you going to pull it off? For a J.D. Salinger-inspired look, dress up as a baseball catcher and secure a slice of rye toast to your glove. If you want to channel Sun Tzu, you can always go with costume armor, and replace your sword and shield with a paintbrush and parallel palette. With a little bit of creative thinking, your options are limitless

7. Transform into your favorite character.

The best part of being a book-lover on Halloween: the endless options of book characters you can use as costume inspiration. There's children's book characters, literary couples, infamous villains — the list goes on. You can create your own costume based off of things you have in your closet, or buy a character costume at the Halloween store — that is, if you don't mind fighting the crowds.

8. Dress up like your favorite author.

They say imitation is the greatest form of flattery, so why not use Halloween as a chance to flatter your favorite author for the day? You can rock Jane Austen's look with the help lace gloves, a Regency-inspired dress, and a sweeping updo, or embody Zora Neale Hurston with a flapper dress and a matching hat (tilted to the side, of course.) Whoever your favorite author is, be creative and have fun — oh, and don't for to carry a notebook and pen wherever you go. You never know when inspiration will strike.

9. Become an entire library.

Can't decide which book to be? Be them all with a book printed t-shirt ($34, Society6) and matching book leggings ($39, Society6). With tons of fun prints to choose from, you can choose to become whatever kind of library you want to be. After Halloween, you'll have one sweet outfit to wear on your lazy reading days.